Courtesy of Monterey Coast Realty
MONTEREY, CA USA – Monterey Coast Realty is pleased to announce the listing of the historic Casa Boronda at 100 Boronda Lane, Monterey, California, for $3,750,000 by Realtor John Romley. This one-of-a-kind property was built on just under four acres as Monterey’s first residence in 1817, when the city served as the capital of Alta California under Spanish rule. The adobe house and two outbuildings reflect the Spanish, Mexican and American influences that the dwellings have experienced in over 200 years of existence.
At the time of Casa Boronda’s construction, Spanish soldiers occupied the Presidio in Monterey and no other homes existed outside the Presidio walls. The Spanish king granted the land to Don Manuel Boronda as compensation for 20 years of mostly unpaid military service. According to current owner Blake Matheson, “Manuel Boronda was a favorite military escort of Father Junipero Serra. When he got older and retired, the crown gave him this land as a reward for his service.”
Eight generations of the Boronda family lived on the property until 1939. Boronda, both a schoolteacher and a soldier, lived in the adobe and used part of the property for a boys’ school. During construction, guards had to be hired to guard the property since wandering bears kept eating Boronda’s livestock. The fenced and very private property goes street to street from Mesa Road all the way down to Major Sherman Lane.
Today, echoes of history blend with modern conveniences in a respectful and authentic presentation. Surrounded by oak, pine, and cypress trees, three structures create a serene courtyard with manicured lawns and tranquil fountains. The family has enjoyed hosting private events, friend’s weddings and other small gatherings in the magical outdoor setting.
The original adobe house offers one bedroom, one bathroom, a dining room, a living room with a fireplace and a kitchen, and is approximately 1600 square feet. Additional buildings, redesigned by a Hollywood set designer in the mid-20th century, include the Carriage House, which has been converted to a cozy guest residence, and has doors that open all the way to the outside gardens, and an intimate guest house, called the Cowboy House. Adding up all three buildings, the square footage surpasses 2000 square feet.
The iconic architecture of the adobe and the property is part of the Mills Act, a California program designed to provide property tax relief for owners that actively participate in the restoration and maintenance of historic properties.
The décor, arranged by Matheson’s mother Jana, pays respectful homage to the past while not trying to reproduce it exactly. Manuel’s son built the Salinas Boronda adobe, now the headquarters of the Monterey County Historical Society. An image of Manuel which hangs in the Salinas Boronda was recommissioned as a painting for Casa Boronda.
“We love everything that is Monterey and preservation oriented,” says Matheson, whose family has been in the area for 100 years. “When this came on the market in 2010, my late father and mother jumped at it. It is pretty astonishing that it’s like having a park here in Monterey that nobody knows about.”
Now Matheson is hoping to find the next steward who appreciates the rare and beautiful history this property offers. “My biggest hope is that whoever buys it will fall in love with it and enjoy it even more than we have, and that they will be seduced by the history and be fully bought into the preservation of it.”
